Early May in Wisconsin

Frost warnings for a few days at the end of this week and 70°F by the end of the coming week. The plants and the gardener are exhausted from the temperature swings. But Thursday and Friday, a garden friend and I toured each other's gardens; masked and gloved and keeping socially distant until we got too excited by a plant. A lovely time was had by all!

Did curb-side pickup of my plant sale order at Olbrich Botanical Gardens yesterday. No crowds, no tents, no rows and rows of plants. I did manage to snap a couple of photos through the car window of the gorgeous yellow-flowered Magnolia blooming in the garden of the house next to Olbrich. 

It was the first time I really felt the impact of the "safe at home" rule. There I was at Olbrich, and I was masked and not allowed to get out of my car to visit the gardens, hit the shop, and then stop at the Monona Library and Fraboni's deli on the way home.

My Olbrich cartons of plants are gorgeous to put it mildly; but it was a very bittersweet trip.

Comments

[Frank]

A beautiful day out, although sad. Hopefully we can soon at least enjoy outdoor areas other than our own gardens. I could see the outdoor areas of arboretum opening but the concern is also for the employees who have to clean up, and there's always someone who can't follow the rules... and addressing that shouldn't put employees and volunteers into a position where their own health is threatened.
It will be a weird summer.

[Loree / danger garden]

Bittersweet, the perfect word. Here a local wholesale nursery that usually has a big, crowded, open house in May is instead opening three Saturdays by appointment. Instead of arriving with Peter (the Outlaw) in the same car and spending the day hitting nurseries together, we'll arrive separately but shop the wholesale nursery at the same time. I'm looking forward to it, but it will also be a bit odd...

[Kris P]

That yellow-flowered Magnolia is glorious! Interestingly, California has allowed garden centers to remain open as "essential businesses), although not all have, and the same is true of botanic gardens. While The Huntington closed, my local botanic garden has remained open, albeit with visitors required to schedule their visits so the garden can manage social distancing. I haven't visited but I am thinking about it...

[Kristin]

Oh, that is so sad! I hope that we're all able to carefully and safely visit our beloved gardens soon. The Kauffman Garden in KC just dug out their tulips, piled them outside the walls, and invited people to come and get them. Erin and I went down, and peeked over the walls to enjoy a few glimpses of what was blooming.

[Lisa at Greenbow]

This year is a bummer for other garden visiting. It seems like the weather is playing at beating up us and the gardens. It is like an umbrella of doom is over us. Bah humbug.